What about Mitt?

[truckboy]

Come on all you pundits... Heed the call to gripe about or praise the glory of Massachusetts Mitt. I've been having a bit of fun hearing about his overtures toward a presidential run and his Lieutenant Gov. Kerry Healy's posturing for a move up to her boss' spot.

Personally, I think he's a lying, cheating douchebag - a typical politician in other words. I resent the fact that he didn't claim MA residency for the previous 7 years as required, yet ran - and won - for governor in 2002. I also can't abide his lip service to the (im)moral minority BUT I think he's been a decent Governor for this state. He did a great job of routing criminal/fugitive
Whitey Bulger's brother Billy from his cushy UMass presidency following a long stretch as Senate President. He has been a welcome change to typical dirty democratic Mass. politics.

I guess he also did a good job cleaning up after the US Olympic Commitee scandal and ran the Salt Lake Olympics.

I was thinking last night that he may actually have a bit of a shot at Prez, if the powers that be let him in the game; He's a Republican, but one from Liberal Massachusetts right? So maybe he could get moderate Democrats from other states as well as rational Republicans. Hell, the majority of voters in this country voted for Bush despite their misgivings.

On the other hand maybe he'd be the WORST of both worlds instead of the best, in the eyes of voters from non NE states: A weakling without the ability to fend off Same Sex Marriage despite his moral convictions.

Come on. What sayeth thee?

[TrailBate]

he vetoed stem cell research.
He was FOR abortions before he was AGAINST it.
The Big Dig doesn't look good on his resume.
He took money from the parks system to pay for a superbowl party

like you said. He's a douche bag.

[GeepNutt]

You can't be serious about blaming him for the $Big Dig$...

That was so f'd up before he got there and he's been trying to get rid of Amarello since he took office. The fact is that the Turnpike Authority is the most corrupt organization in the state next to the Catholic Church....

Bottom line is the Dig was Fat Teddy's pet project and he's done a good job of funneling tax dollars to the most incompetent unions out there thus ensuring his re-election for years to come....

[TrailBate]

I didnt' say it was his fault. But it will dog him.

[Rych]

he vetoed stem cell research.
He was FOR abortions before he was AGAINST it.
The Big Dig doesn't look good on his resume.
He took money from the parks system to pay for a superbowl party

like you said. He's a douche bag.


The Big Dig shouldn't be on him. It's on Duke, Weld, Cellucci, Swift(thanks for Fat Matt), and most of all on the unions.

That being said, Mitt does not have a shot. The Christian Right, love them or hate them, won't turn out for him.

[Mr_Cheeze]

The Big Dig debacle, in my eyes, is completely upon the shoulders of the crooked unions and every politician, including past governors, who kowtowed to them. If anything, there has been some attempt at forcing union accountability under Romney.

Otherwise, I have not been overly impressed with Mitt's governorship. His impressive business resume showed the promise of good fiscal leadership, and I think we have seen some of that. But he has been largely absent during his obvious overtures towards this national feeling out process. Rych is absolutely correct in that the religious right is never going to support a Massachusetts Republican who is soft on abortion. And I am not sure that Massachusetts, after Jane "not so" Swift, is ready for another female Republican to sit in the State House, however unfair that may be. The comparison is going to be made regardless.

[GeepNutt]

Well if you think the $Big Dig$ is bad just wait till we start pouring money into New Orleans.

Corruption was king there before the hurricane. Just wait until Uncle Sam shows up with an open wallet.

You ain't seen nothin yet!

[truckboy]

Cool. That's the kind of discussion I was looking for. I know he flipflopped on abortion -in a douchebag politician way. He originally said he wouldn't mess with it, that he wanted it to be safe and legal, then changed his tune when he started getting serious about the presidency.

Rych - do you think the zealots can be lied to effectively? I mean Bush has a pretty checkered past but he got votes because he "a good man" (read christian).

Maybe a Vice President run?

I don't give him much chance either, but I thought it would be fun to argue about his merits, faults and chances. I give him credit for trying to change things in Massachusetts for the better, but I can't back someone so obsequious to the zealots.

[sizlinseagulsoup]

The only way he could be a viable candidate is to balance out an ideological ticket as the "northern veep" (like the democrats who need the southern veep)

Either way, he's a slimeball and I'm glad his vetoes have been overturned. The man is an economic menace to the state (stem-cell research anybody?) The sooner he's gone, the sooner tech. companies will move into the state, not being affraid of an ideological governor banning their practices.

[Mr_Cheeze]

What does one's stance on stem cell research have anything to do with the economy? ??? It seems pretty unfair and silly to label someone a scumbag because of disagreement on a political issue. It's not like he doesn't know that vetoing a bill in this state has no real practical merit as far as legislation is concerned, being as the numbers are easily there to pass it regardless of the governor's decision. It is merely posturing on Romney's part.

[GeepNutt]

What do stem cells have to do with the economy?

Nothing unless you are politically connected with Tom Finneran and his new Bio Medical group which is looking for a huge handout of our tax money to fund most of their endevours.

Just more of the old you wash my back and I'll wash yours...

[GeepNutt]

And what's wrong with his stance on this?

http://news.bostonherald.com/localPolitics/view.bg?articleid=103847

Getting these slobs back to work rather than sucking up my tax dollars on welfare seems to make great financial sense.

[catbbq]

Apparently, an lack of concentration is considered a ...

what was I saying? Oh yeah. A disability.

Where was I going with this?...

Oh yeah. Were do I get the check?

Oh, wait. Nevermind. I live in NH.

[truckboy]

I want to become obese so I don't have to work! Then I can ride every day. No, wait. Oh. Never mind.

[sizlinseagulsoup]

"deficiency'' in concentration.

That depends what he means by that. if it's people that are capable of functioning, i don't think they should be on welfare. However, I do know people who legitimately cannot hold a job because they are manic/bipolar. To say they don't deserve welfare makes you a scumbag. (and if you legitimately think these people don't deserve welfare, you clearly don't have any of these "deficient" people in your family.)

[Mr_Cheeze]

Under an alternative Senate plan, those struggling with concentration deficiencies and obesity would be referred to state agencies that can more closely examine their abilities and determine which work-related activities they are capable of, she said.

Like maybe something along the lines of... a United States Senator?
http://www.federalobserver.com/content_images/article_fat_ted_feeding_tube.jpg11127175362708.jpg

[truckboy]

Come on! This is America.You can be as fat and useless as you want as long as you are either really rich or really poor. You know that.

[catbbq]

If your fat, how poor could you be?

[truckboy]

It's easy to be poor and fat, especially in this country. Nutricious food is more expensive than, say McDonalds.

[catbbq]

It's easy to be poor and fat, especially in this country. Nutricious food is more expensive than, say McDonalds.


What makes you think that? It is just people being lazy. Nutricious food is less convenient than McDonalds, but doesn't have to be more expensive.

Chicken is around $1.69 a pound. A can of green beans is about $0.70 cents. Pasta is as cheap as $1 a pound.

[TrailBate]

Don't forget Top Ramen noodles! You can get like 8 for $1.00

[Mr_Cheeze]

It's easy to be poor and fat, especially in this country. Nutricious food is more expensive than, say McDonalds.


What makes you think that? It is just people being lazy. Nutricious food is less convenient than McDonalds, but doesn't have to be more expensive.

Chicken is around $1.69 a pound. A can of green beans is about $0.70 cents. Pasta is as cheap as $1 a pound.




Mmmmmmmmmm... that all sounds so appetizing. Ever think about doing a show on the Food Network? Can't tell you how much I enjoy them canned vegetables. Makes me hearken back to the good old days when dad used to cook up such mouth watering entrees. Shake and Bake chicken thighs. (Always with the #$@% Shake and Bake) Mashed potatoes with butter and whole milk. Canned green beans or canned creamed corn or canned peas or canned peas and carrots or canned sliced carrots. And for dessert.... Jello!!! Or ice cream. Or Betty Crocker chocolate cake with frosting. Man, you could feed a family of five for under $10. Makes you wonder why anyone would ever leave with that kind of home cooking every day.

Emeril Legace my dad was not. The mom didn't cook much. She made soup.

I often regret the unfortunate reality that it is indeed significantly more expensive to eat healthy. Ever shop at a Whole Foods Market? Not the place you would shop alongside your typical Walmart shopper.

[TrailBate]

Kenny's family eats waffles for dinner.

[truckboy]

with no side dishes.

[catbbq]

Whole Foods? Yeah, that is very expensive. I shop and Stop and Shop and can eat very well, both healthy and tasty, on what anyone would spend at McDonalds.

Soda is chocked full of sugar (well not sugar but in fact liver rotting high fructose corn syrup). That is were allot of fat people are getting their calories. Water out of the tap (most poor have tap water, don't they?) is nearly free. Even koolaid, tea, coffee, lemonade, etc is cheaper and healthier than soda.

Some more "analysis". I used Peapod for my numbers. Actual grocery store prices are probably cheaper.
Hamburger 90% lean - $3.89 / lb
Buns - $1.29 / 8 buns
Red Onions - $1.00 / onion
Spicy Mustard - $1.19 / 12oz.
Ketchup $3 / 64oz
Potatoes - $4 / 5 lb

So for about $18 you get 8 burgers and fries with condiments and potatoes to spare. You have cut way down on the fat and sodium.

Listen I am a cheap... make that a frugile... grocery shopper and I eat really healthy. I occasionally spend more for organic in order to eliminate high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils.

But you gotta get off your butt and cook. And get off your butt and exercise. Else your butt is destine for greatness.